CGI and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland are working together to build a new artificial intelligence (AI) solution that enhances the use of evaluative information and transparency in development cooperation. This web-based, open access tool helps retrieve information in an AI-assisted way and can be used in various ways to support planning, reporting and decision-making.

The AI tool draws on independent evaluation reports as its source material and includes references to source material for further details. The tool also allows the use of intelligent filtering options to analyze the mass of documents, enabling information to be screened based on criteria such as content themes, evaluation criteria such as effectiveness, and other aspects related to the evaluation field.

”Every year, the evaluation function of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs produces hundreds of pages of high-quality, in-depth reports, which are time consuming to summarize. CGI’s new AI-based tool for the Ministry compiles all relevant information quickly and in an easy-to-understand format,” says Julia Heiskanen, Vice-President responsible for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs account at CGI.

The new AI tool also supports the Ministry's knowledge-based development cooperation by making evaluation information more easily accessible to anyone.

“This is an important project for both CGI and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as it is not only a solution to improve the evaluation of the effectiveness of development cooperation, but also an important step towards the democratization of information. We are very excited about the opportunity to support the Finnish government make better use of data to support its decision-making and target its resources more effectively,” says Kari Martelius, Vice-President of Local Government Services at CGI Finland.

Development cooperation increases the chances for a better life for millions of people and is an important part of Finland's foreign and security policy. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs' Evaluation Unit is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of Finland's development cooperation and providing independent information and recommendations for the further development of policies and cooperation.